Deadpool- Game Review

The Deadpool film, as you’ll find in a previous blog post, I found to be a cracking good watch indeed. I also got round to playing the game on the PS4 and wrote a review on that too. Enjoy.

Deadpool took the box office by storm back in February 2016 and saw fans sat for little under two hours whooping, cheering and crying (maybe the last one was just me) as their favourite merc with a mouth hit the silver screen in a film that ripped apart the superhero genre rulebook. Let’s not forget, however, that there was also a Deadpool game released back in 2013 developed from High Moon Studios. Yet does the game yield the same chimichanga filled powers of its cinematic counterpart or is it more of a fart flavoured taco?

In a word, if I was asked if the game encapsulates the regenerative degenerate to a t then I’d have to say yes. Everything about the Deadpool you take charge of is simply dripping with his witty one-liners, zany remarks and constant fourth wall breaking. The story is slightly uninspired but thematically fits with the X-men/mutant way of telling stories- that is to say Mr Sinister plans on ensuring “genetic superiority” throughout the world. This of course entails killing 99% of the Earth’s population whom he doesn’t seem fit for the new world and it falls to Deadpool, under the orders of time-travelling pal Cable, to put a stop to his plans.

Deadpool likes to shush you as a player before he sneaks behind and bashes a man’s brains in. Thoughtful.

Whilst the plot itself may not seem all that enticing; the true Deadpool style with which it’s told is what helps the game stick with you long after the credits roll- for better or for worse. For example, the game is the unfolding of a videogame script for a Deadpool game; a script of which Deadpool works his way through whilst adding in his own personal touches. At several points in the game Deadpool overspends his budget for the game and the player suddenly finds themselves playing a 2D side scroller or 8-bit style game. Deadpool frequently breaks the fourth wall by telling the player to move the camera or “not to suck too much” if you take too much damage or die. There’s dozens of instances where Deadpool breaks the fourth wall or cracks a satirical dig at something, to jot them all down would be to spoil the magic, but rest assured every remark or zany comment in the game is true to Deadpool’s character; the only downside being the occasional receptiveness of the humour. At around 100 minutes the film was an in and out affair, yet with an eight to ten-hour campaign the gags occasionally wear thin. Thankfully though the jokes do change throughout the game and you’ll find one, or thirty, that hit.

Of course alongside the “unique” mannerisms and satirical fourth wall breaking, what is Deadpool without his weapons? There are several guns and several melee weapons, alongside a few varying throwable pieces of equipment, to unlock with via Deadpool points earnt from sheeshkebabing enemies. Deadpool amusingly comments on how a levelling up system and earning Deadpool points makes zero sense to him, yet each weapon can be upgraded nonetheless. Upgrades include extra firepower or rate of fire, increases to you DP points earned or the addition of new combo moves to finish off foes with. There’s nothing extravagant added to the weapon and upgrade system that hasn’t been seen before; but whether you’re an elitist and stick to the classic katana and pistol wielding Deadpool, or opt for a bear trap and shotgun approach (and why on earth wouldn’t you want to use bear traps) each weapon is fun to use and has a distinct style to it.

Lego Deadpool doesn’t feature in the game, but you can be damn sure Deadpool would play with himself if he was.

The combo system is the meat and potatoes of how to quickly earn Deadpool points. Racking up a combo whilst in combat; by killing enemies, avoiding damage, and then spending those sweet, sweet Deadpool points, is the surefire way to make yourself the unstoppable force Deadpool is known to be. Whilst there is a feeling of satisfaction from levelling up your weapons and character, Deadpool himself can gain extra health or additional teleport uses for dodging enemies in combat, the combat soon becomes monotonous and the most repetitive part of the game. After the second or third hour of shooting your way through yet another clone, things begin to wane a little. Thankfully the nature of Deadpool helps infuse enough wacky humour and truly WTF moments to keep you from breaking the disc before the credits roll.

Scores on the virtual doors for Deadpool?

6.5/10- Despite the somewhat monotonous combat system and uninspired leveling up system, the Deadpool game is still entertaining. It stands out, much like the film did, for the unique approach the protagonist takes throughout the campaign. There are few other narratives that are told in quite the same way that Wade Wilson likes to flavour his stories with, the Deadpool game proves itself to be worth a shot for any comic book/superhero fan out there. Even if you aren’t a superhero fan, the game has enough unique quirks to its merit warrant giving it a go. Much like the film, the game has the conventional superhero genre rulebook thrown out of the window and offers an entertaining, if repetitive game.

2 thoughts on “Deadpool- Game Review”

Deadpool-movie was in my opinion a “good movie”, but a “shit deadpool” because it was not deadpool to me anymore without the full blown madness and insanity aswell as the 3 characters Deadpool actually is. The game however fully embraces the style of the comics and while the combat is average, the games jokes/comedy/entertainment-factor are glorious!

I agree with your point on how the film itself felt more toned down in some respects, I can see arguments for how it may have been trickier to pull off, but still I thought both are worth your time if you’re a fan 🙂